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Barcelona set up a Copa del Rey quarter-final with Atletico Madrid after beating Elche 9-0 on aggregate.

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Written ByJames Willoughby

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Barcelona booked a mouth-watering Copa del Rey quarter-final
against Atletico Madrid after beating Elche 4-0 on the night and
9-0 on aggregate.

Luis Enrique's side, who won the first leg 5-0, sealed their
spot in the last eight thanks to first-half goals from Jeremy
Mathieu, Sergi Roberto and Pedro in the return game on
Thursday.

The Catalan giants have met Atleti just once - a 3-1 victory on
Sunday - since their epic clash at Camp Nou on the final day of
last season.

Both sides needed a win to secure the Liga title, while a draw
was enough for Atleti - a scenario that became a reality after
Diego Godin cancelled out Alexis Sanchez's stunning first-half
strike.

The result meant Barcelona ended the season without a major
trophy for the first time since the 2007-08 season.

Things are on the up under new coach Luis Enrique, though, and
Barca know that if they can overcome Atleti then they will be
favourites to lift Copa del Rey for a record 27th time after
holders Real Madrid were knocked out, also on Thursday.

With Barca's progression virtually secured, Mathieu opened the
scoring in the second leg with a superb 25-yard free-kick.

Sergi then fired in a long-distance effort of his own before
Pedro continued his love affair with the Copa del Rey, netting a
43rd-minute penalty.

Highly rated youngster Alen Halilovic hit the post in the second
half as Barca pressed for a fourth goal that eventually came in the
91st minute thanks to an Adriano header.

Both sides made wholesale changes with Luis Enrique calling up
six players from Barcelona's B team.

Elche should have been one down in the first 10 minutes, only
for Adriano to scuff an effort wide after impressive work from
Sergi.

The hosts were not without their own chances - Cristian
Herrera's effort deflected over - but Mathieu's brilliance gave
Barcelona the lead.

Elche captain Edu Albacar scythed Traore down, giving Mathieu a
free-kick from distance, and the Frenchman made no mistake, curling
a left-footed effort into the top right corner in the 21st
minute.

Goalkeeper Manu Herrera got fingertips to the effort, but could
not keep it out and Barca doubled their advantage five minutes
before the break.

Sergi simply controlled a pass by taking a touch before
unleashing a fierce effort into the left corner from 20 yards.

It was 3-0 when Sergio Pelegrin brought down Munir with a lunge
in the penalty area and Pedro made no mistake from the penalty
spot, coolly slotting into the left corner.

Martin Montoya and Traore just missed the target early in the
second half for Barca, while at the other end, Ferran Corominas
agonisingly failed to get anything on the end of Albacar's
excellent cross.

Teenage midfielder Halilovic nearly capped his competitive debut
for Barcelona with a goal, only for the upright to keep out his
curling left-footed effort.

The 18-year-old Croatian's cameo was the highlight of a dull
second half, with the match petering out significantly in the
latter stages, as Barca began to think of another clash against
Diego Simeone's Atletico.

There was still time for Barcelona to score again, though, with
the visitors capping an impressive away win with Adriano's
stoppage-time goal.